Inflammation inside of the eye (uveitis, retinitis, and iritis) occurs in more than half of those with Behçet's disease and can cause blurred vision, pain, and redness.

Dry eye occurs when the eye does not produce tears properly, or when the tears are not of the correct consistency and evaporate too quickly.

In addition, inflammation of the surface of the eye may occur along with dry eye.

If left untreated, this condition can lead to pain, ulcers, or scars on the cornea, and some loss of vision.

However, permanent loss of vision from dry eye is uncommon.

Dry eye can make it more difficult to perform some activities, such as using a computer or reading for an extended period of time, and it can decrease tolerance for dry environments.

Infrequent blinking, associated with staring at computer or video screens, may also lead to dry eye symptoms.

Uveitis is an eye disorder that can occur as an autoimmune disease or as a result of injury, infection, or exposure to toxins.

Uveitis is characterized by inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, which is known as the uvea.

Shingles may cause redness of the eye.

It can also cause small scratches or scarring of the cornea. The scratches on the cornea may increase the risk of bacterial infection in the eye and damage to the cornea can occur.

Shingles may also cause inflammation inside the eye, known as iritis or uveitis.

It can also affect the optic nerve or the retina.

Herpes zoster infections of the eye can lead to:

Redness

Swelling

Pain

Sensitivity To Light

Blurred Vision

Severe or repeated episodes of herpes zoster infection are associated with other eye disorders including:

Glaucoma

Scarring inside the eye

And Cataract Formation

Episcleritis, sometimes occurs in the superficial layers just above the sclera.

The sclera is the fibrous covering of the eye that shows up as a dense white layer beneath the transparent conjunctiva.

It's a relatively mild nodular inflammation.

It occurs more often in young and middle aged adults and usually improves without treatment.

In more severe cases, treatment with anti-inflammatory medication may be necessary.

Inflammation of the deeper sclera, called scleritis, is more severe and is often painful.

It occurs more frequently in older people and may be associated with underlying disorders, such as tuberculosis or rheumatoid arthritis.

However, the cause of scleritis is often not discovered.

Venereal Eye Disease?

Nearly all diseases which are considered to be sexually transmitted diseases can have significant ocular involvement.

This can occur as a direct infection, as with gonorrhea or chlamydia, or as a secondary infection, as with AIDS.

Therefore, it is important to inform your ophthalmologist of any sexually transmitted diseases which you may have been treated for if you are having an eye problem.

The most common treatment for eye disorders includes the administration of eye drops which contain emollients and other ingredients designed to ease the discomfort due to the inflammation and to eliminate the redness associated with the condition.

These treatments however, have not been entirely satisfactory.

While not all eye disorders can be prevented, a lot can be done to slow the progression and prevent visual impairment.

Eye disorders among the elderly are a major health problem and like so many other aspects of your health, diet and nutrition can have a profound effect on your vision.